The Dangers of Sleep Deprivation

Did you know that sleeping just 5.7 hours a night for one week changed the expression of 711 genes!  (Many of these cause obesity, heart disease & dementia.)  [see gene study]  Just one night of severe insomnia can cause the same injury to the brain as a concussion.  It’s alarming to know that occasionally taking a sleeping pill (like Benadryl or antihistamine) raises the risk of premature death by 300%!  Insomniacs are 55% more likely to die from heart disease!  [see insomniac study]

Three Ways Insomnia Hurts our Hormones

1. It Bombards us with Stress Cortisol & Adrenalin

   • Cortisol makes us gain weight.  Did you know steroids like Prednisone are a form of cortisol?  One of their common side effects is weight gain.

2. It Floods Us With the Raging Hunger Hormone Ghrelin

   • Ghrelin tells us we’re hungry… sooo, sooo hungry!  Insomnia steals our Leptin hormone that tells us we’re full.  Imbalance leads to sugar & fat cravings that are out of this world.

3. It Skyrockets Blood Sugar

   • Some reasons this happens is that the brain can’t use glucose efficiently when we become insulin resistant.  So, our blood sugar raises.  Then, we produce more insulin.  Insulin stimulates hunger & we eat more than we need.  This causes even higher blood sugar.

7 Ways to Stop Insomnia & Weight Gain

1. Stop Eating @ 7pm

2. Eat Tryptophan Seeds & Nuts

   • This amazing amino acid found in turkey, nuts & seeds, helps us produce sleep inducing melatonin.  Nuts & Seeds help us stay full (with protein, fat & fiber).
   • Eat:  walnuts, cashews & sesame seeds.

3. Eat Lots of Calcium & Magnesium

   • Calcium & Magnesium relax the nervous system & muscles & help us sleep.  Calcium can help our brains make melatonin from tryptophan.
   • Eat calcium: broccoli, soy, sardines, sesame seeds, spinach, kale, dairy
   • Eat magnesium: almonds, pecans, sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds, and spinach
   • Get my trusted calcium / magnesium blend here.
   • Get pure & tested magnesium here.

4. Eat Lettuce Opium 

   • The milky fluid part of lettuce produces opium like effects as it reduces pain & promotes sleep. [see lettuce sleep study]

5. Eat Lots of B6 Foods

   • Did you know that B vitamins regulate tryptophan & serotonin?
   • Eat:  sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, spinach, banana, salmon
   • Get my favorite B Complex Happy Vitamins here.

6. Eat Lots of Cherries 

   1. Cherry juice raises melatonin!  [see cherry study]

7. Give Yourself Gentle Sleep

   • Did you know that passion flower, German chamomile and valerian promotes restful, calm sleep?

source: Dr. John Day The Longevity Plan

Exercise re-programs your hormones

When we move, our muscles release hormones.  The more fat we have, the more estrogen we store.  This estrogen-dominant situation makes it really difficult to cut weight.  Exercise lowers estrogen.  It’s really helped me to wear a step tracker to make sure I’m getting 10,000 steps every day.   To get the support to reach your great weight, request access to our private ‘Healthy Fit – Move It Challenge‘.

Eating too much or too little can lead to weight gain.

For every pound of overweight mass, the person ate 3500 too many calories.  Or, he/she has a thyroid problem or they’re in ‘fasting mode’ because they didn’t eat enough.

If you’re eating too much, determine your basal metabolic rate (bmr).  This number will tell you how much you’ve been eating to get to your current weight.  Set your caloric goal to be less than your bmr.   Women can go as low as 1200 calories a day, men as low as 1500.  Breast feeding women 1800 a day.  If you’re not eating enough, increase your caloric intake with healthy, nutrient dense foods.

Eat enough of the right fat & protein foods to produce happy hormones!  I use veggie protein and triple purified fatty acids every day.

Try out our correctly proportioned Freezer Fiesta meals and our Salad Bar in the Fridge to make it easy to eat healthy even if you’re really busy!

When the bowels are covered with mucus, they can’t absorb nutrients very well.  So, we overeat.  Herbs and flora help keep the intestines clean!  When the liver is sluggish, we feel sluggish and gain weight.  The liver’s job is to remove toxins (chemicals, etc).  Milk thistle, reishi mushroom, schizandra, dandelion, turmeric and artichoke all help the liver do its job.    Here’s a great 7 day Healthy Cleanse I love!   For more private support, request access to our ‘Detox This‘ group.

Here’s an inspiring video about how stress can actually be a signal for growth.

It’s really important to identify what’s stressing us out and solve the source of the problem.

If you want support in your journey, request access to our ‘Stress Relief | Brain Power‘ private Facebook group and let us know Deb Headworth sent you there.

High cortisol causes weight gain and inflammation.  It can damage nearly every organ.  90% of all illnesses are stress related.  We must find ways to remove this stress induced excess cortisol.

My 4 favorite ways to remove cortisol

1. Exercise till I’m dripping with sweat.
2. Contemplation / Meditation / Prayer till I feel peaceful love and slow breathing.
3. Ashwagandha, L-theanine, beta sitosterol & L-tyrosine all help remove excess cortisol and support a calm, relaxed state without drowsiness.  It really helps to use these stress relieving herbs before bed.

Inflammation leads to pain which leads to excess weight.

4 Things that Deflate Inflammation!

1. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet.
2. Keep joints strong with glucosamine and boswellia extract.
3. Keep joints lubricated with non contaminated omega oils.
4. Help overworked joints & promote flexibility with safflower & boswellia extract.